What the HELL !!!

Woo... i was so mad this morning when i read the announcement in the public folder. I mean, how could SAO made us pay $15.75 again for the hall application when we paid and didn't get a room the previous round. And, why are there empty rooms available when i don't even get one ?

But it turned up to be a case of misunderstanding, read on to find out more...

This was the 1st reply i got from SAO:

===================================================================This is a computer generated email.Please do not reply to this email account.For any other queries, please contact the respective Hostel Officers.===================================================================14-MAR-2007ADHOC APPLICATION FOR ACCOMMODATION IN HALLS FOR SEM 2 IN AY2006/07.

We are sorry to inform you that you are unsuccessful in your application.Please look out for the announcement made on the public folders/notice board(students) and notice board(for official matters only) of the Exchange Outlook System s for the next round of applicaiton. It will no longer be an on-line application. Instead it will be a walk-in application at SAO, level 5, Student Services Centre.

Alternatively, you may look up off-campus accommodation(with live-in owners). You can obtain information from Off-Campus Accommodation System (OCAS) on SAO website. You could access with your matric and pin number or contact EM Services Pte Ltd (Mr Daniel , hp: 9191 7125) which offers HDB rooms nearby campus.Yours sincerelyTan Siew Kuan (Mrs)Manager (Student Accommodation)Student Affairs Office


Then i got this :

To: All Full-time Undergraduate Students Walk-in application for hall for semester 2 AY2006/07 is open from 19 Mar 07 till vacancies are offered out. This application enables you to stay in the hall till 15 July 2007. Hence if you are interested to apply, please come to Student Affairs Office, Student Services Centre, Level 5 to apply personally. You are required to pay the hall application fees of S$15.75 by Nets/Cashcard. Payment can be accepted only at the following times to facilitate closing of accounts. 0830 – 1630 hours: Mondays to Thursdays 0830 – 1615 hours: FridaysIf your application is successful, you will be billed $10.50 JCRC fee of the allocated Hall.


And i replied :

-----Original Message-----From: #GOH ZHIXIANG# Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2007 10:51 AMTo: Ng Bee LengSubject: application fees of S$15.75

I can't believe it. SAO is trying to cheat students of their money. I applied for hall during the first round of adhoc application but wasn't allocated a hall. And now, i have to pay another $15.75 if i want to apply for hall.I simply cannot understand why there are still vacancies for the hostel rooms when i couldn't even get one in the first place. Is there a hidden agenda somewhere ?

$15.75 is not a small sum, it is equivalent to 5 meals of $3. Is this the way how SAO worked? By demanding money from students again and again. Is this how the school cares for its student?

If i pay the $15.75 the second time round and i still don't get the room, is SAO going to asked me to pay another $15.75 ?Please advise.

Regards


And SAO replied :

Dear Zhixiang

Please do not jump into conclusion and let us explain to you. The new round of adhoc application exercise is for partially occupied rooms only. Your application is unsuccessful because you applied for empty room with your roommate.

The system has allocated all available empty rooms to successful applicants and unfortunately you are unsuccessful as the demand for empty room is more than supply. Though all unsuccessful applicants have received the reply, we still put the unsuccessful applicants who had paid the application fee on a waiting list. Should there be an empty room available and it is applicant’s choice of hall, we will contact the applicants and offer to them.

In view of the misunderstanding that you have, we will now send an email to inform all unsuccessful applicants who have paid the application fees that they are put on waiting list.

If you still interested to be allocated to a partially occupied room please let me know by next Monday, 19 Mar 07 so that we can make arrangement for you. Alternatively, you can contact me at 6790 5155 to check the vacancies in each hall. There is no need for you to pay the application fee again. The same will apply to your roommate if he is also interested.

Rgds

Bee Leng